


For Dedue

by InsomniacTiger



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Blood, Bullying, By A Lot, Dedue is Younger Than Dimitri, Dimitri Sort of Adopts Dedue, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Blue Lions Route Spoilers, Gen, Kid Dedue, Mentioned Blue Lions Students (Fire Emblem), Of course Felix is in this one too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-05
Updated: 2019-11-05
Packaged: 2021-01-23 11:48:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21319702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InsomniacTiger/pseuds/InsomniacTiger
Summary: An AU where Dedue is four years old when Dimitri rescues him and how their world would have been different if this were the case.
Relationships: Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Kudos: 17





	For Dedue

There was red everywhere. Between the fire and bloodshed there was nothing but the glow of crimson. Everyone was dead. He had no one. Bodies were strewn about. The carriage on fire as well as the fields nearby.

Why was he standing still?

Why had he been spared?

Why was this happening?

Dimitri stood frozen among the carnage. Distantly, he thought he heard someone asking the whereabouts of the Prince. He should answer.

But then silver and blue caught his eye.

Kneeling beside some blood-stained bodies was a small boy. Messy silver hair, and steel blue eyes. He was just a child, even younger than Dimitri.

A solider was walking toward the child, a familiar grim set to his expression. The child had tears in his eyes, but just stared at the solider approaching him.

There was never a decision made, the Prince found that his feet had moved as if on their own as he rushed forward blocking the child from the solider.

“Your Highness! You must be careful. Now please step aside.”

“No! I will not allow it!”

“Despite being a child, he is of Duscur, sir, I have orders.”

“Do your orders come from someone of higher ranking the Prince of Faerghus?” He hated using his title for anything.

But this… this was certainly worth it.

“Uh, no. I suppose not.” The soldier’s confusion was clear.

“Then no harm will come to this child! I demand it!”

One child was hardly anything compared to the masses that had been slaughtered today… but if he could save even one life…

“Then you better keep a close eye on him Your Highness.”

Turning he saw that the boy had clung to Dimitri’s cape. Carefully getting down on a knee the Prince offered a hand.   
“I am Dimitri. What is your name.”

“Dimitri?” The boy pointed at him then said some other words that were clearly of Duscur language.

Dimitri pointed at himself and repeated his name before pointing at the boy expectantly.

“Dedue.”

“Dedue.” The Prince nodded. “You will stay with me from now on alright?”

It was clear that the boy had no idea what was being said to him, but he allowed the taller boy to pick him and follow the soldier away from the bodies of his people. 

* * *

It had taken a lot of convincing, but finally it was agreed that the small Duscur child could live as long as he remained buy the Prince’s side and that he cause no trouble. It had taken some time, but Dimitri finally was able to learn enough of Dedue’s native tongue to communicate with him. He learned that Dedue was four years old, that the small boy was good with plants and gardening, and that he wanted to be big and strong someday.

The people of the Kingdom had gotten used to seeing their Prince with the small child that followed him much like a duckling and its mother. Dimitri had gotten into multiple fights with soldiers and servants in his home that tries to insult Dedue. They called him stupid for not knowing how to speak their language yet. They called him racial slurs for his skin color. They called him a future killer because of his heritage. They had all been sent to the infirmary shortly after.

Refusing to let children bully him worse than the adults already were Dimitri insisted on Dedue joining him in his tutoring sessions. Thankfully his tutor was kind man who was enthusiastic about teaching Dedue their language, and how to read and write. While the Prince had his lessons, Dedue had his own that were at his level.

They spent a few years like this and eventually the slurs died away, or were better hidden more likely. More people began to find Dedue endearing for his loyalty to the Prince. And when the time came for Dimitri to attend the Officer’s Academy there was no question about whether Dedue would go with him or not. It was just accepted that yes, he would also go.

* * *

While at the Garreg Mach Monastery Dimitri met Byleth, the Professor that was also new to the academy. She was quiet but attentive. Whenever he had questions, she answered with precise but complete answers, or a demonstration should it be about weapon training. Dedue being eight years old couldn’t attend the academy as a student, but he did everything that the students did. The Prince had feared that the Professor would not want a child in her class. But she just smiled and reassured them both that she had been much younger the first time she had picked up a weapon.

Sylvain loved Dedue. He hadn’t gotten to meet him before starting at the academy but now that they had met, he was always bringing him small gifts. A plant that he had heard was particularly rare to the region, books that were an easy reading level and discussed about weapon maintenance. On more than one occasion Sylvain would join them in the Dining Hall to try and make the serious boy smile.

Ingrid had never been great around children and the fact that he was from Duscur made her all the warier of Dimitri’s new shadow. However even she eventually formed a certain friendship with the boy as they bonded over getting to be strong knights to protect the Kingdom, mainly Dimitri.

Felix was unexpectedly the one who got along the easiest with Dedue. They would spar together often. Dimitri supervised the first several of these to be sure that his old friend didn’t completely destroy the child. But Felix actually went easy on the child, being sure to point out any mistakes in form and offering suggestions on how to do better. Their discussions were brief and to the point. And on the rare occasion when Felix joined them socially, he was alright with being silent alongside the small boy.

* * *

All seemed well enough. There were the incidents that they struggled with. Lonato. Miklan. Flayn’s disappearance. People sneaking into the Monastery. But they had survived each one and came out stronger on the other end.

But then Garreg Mach fell.

Dimitri and Dedue went missing.

So did the Professor.

And when they all met five years later their Prince was a changed man. He told them how Dedue had sacrificed himself to save him. And it was hard on all of them. The angry force that Dimitri had become. The loss of someone who had become precious to all of them. It was almost too much.

The Professor was often caught looking just behind Dimitri, to the spot the boy would always stand.

Ingrid on more than one occasion would panic not being able to find the bright white hair of Dedue on the battlefield before remembering that he hadn’t been there to start with.

Sylvain had started helping Ashe in the greenhouse to be sure that the plants that had been native to Duscur were well taken care of.

Felix got into fight after fight with Dimitri. He called him a boar. Destroying all that he saw. He called him selfish for letting a child die for him. He called him weak and pathetic. And in these fights Dimitri always took whatever beating Felix laid out for him. But later they would both be caught drinking next to each other in a mourning silence in the ruined Dining Hall.

* * *

It was the battle where they would have to face Ferdinand and Lorenz. Morale was at its lowest as the remaining Blue Lions class, plus the others that had chosen to remain loyal to Byleth marched forward.

A young man, tall and far more muscular than they remember showed up. While scars covered most of him, he still had that determined expression in his steel blue eyes. His white hair pulled back neatly from his face.

Ingrid, Sylvain, Ashe, and even Byleth ran forward to hug him and welcome him back. Dimitri remained certain he was seeing a ghost till Dedue jumped in front of him to block an attack. The panic in nearly losing even the mirage of the child he had taken in was enough to snap him out of the haze he had been living in since they found him in the Monastery ruins.

“Dedue!” Dimitri roared as he killed the man that had landed a blow on the young man’s arm.

“Your Highness!” His voice was deeper. It still cracked a little here and there. But it was so much deeper than it had been five years ago.

When the battle was over Dimitri pulled the thirteen-year-old survivor into his arms. “I had thought you joined my ghosts…”

“Never Your Highness.” Dedue sniffed as he gave into the hug.

“You have grown so much…”

“So, have you.”

“How did you escape?”

“I just thought about how I had to repay my debt to you. And forced my way out.”

“No. Dedue. You have repaid your debt in full and then some. If anything, I owe you.”

“That… can’t work.”

Dimitri almost smiled. “How about equal then. Can we be equals?”

“Almost.” Dedue begrudgingly allowed. “I still have a lot to learn.”

“I think maybe we both do.”

* * *

When all was said and done and peace was finally returning to the Kingdom. The Empire’s rule was over. Dimitri had taken the throne, and Byleth had come to live with them in the castle where they lived. Dedue asked if they were to be wed, but Dimitri always turned red and found interest in the ceiling while Byleth just chuckled. But they didn’t bother hiding the rings that never left their fingers.

It was shortly after Dedue’s fourteenth birthday that they announced their wedding. Byleth hated the idea of waiting any longer and they had the ceremony just two months later to the despair of all the King’s advisors.

“Will you two ever have children?” Dedue asked Byleth as they sparred one day a month after the ceremony.

“Maybe. But we aren’t ready for that just yet. There is still a lot to be done.”

“I like the idea of helping the King – Dimitri’s child, like he helped me.” Dedue admitted.

Byleth smiled. “That would mean the world to him if he heard you say that.”

Dedue blushed.

Dimitri chose then to enter the training room, in his own loose clothes so that he could practice as well. His long blonde hair still impossible to tame was pulled partially back from his remaining eye.

“What are you two discussing?” He asked as he began stretching.

“Children.” Byleth informed him.

“Oh. In what context?”

“Dedue was wondering when we’d have our own.”

Standing straight Dimitri looked over at Dedue seriously. “Any child we had would not replace you.”

Dedue’s eyes widened before he looked down at his feet. “I am not your child. I am the stray you took in and spoiled.”

The King stepped forward resting a hand on the strong shoulder. “Dedue, I was young myself when I took you in. But I have cared for you to the best of my ability. Your accomplishments have always given me pride, and I have felt your pain as if it were my own. I will always consider you like a son to me. And if Byleth and I were to have a child, then I would hope that you would be their older brother.”

Tears were forming at the corner of the young man’s eyes. “Truly?”

“Truly.” Dimitri nodded.

Byleth stepped forward and pulled them into a group hug. “We are family.”

They each came from different backgrounds of life, a Prince of Faerghus, an orphan from Duscur, and a mercenary, but together they formed their own family.

“That practically makes you a Prince, Dedue.” Dimitri chuckled.

“No. I could never accept that title…”

“And why not?”

The boy frowned in consideration. “Because…”

“There’s no way around it.” Byleth said in her best Professor voice. “If I have to be Queen then you have to be a Prince.”

“You know, if I didn’t know better I would thing that neither of you really wanted to live with me.” Dimitri sighed.

Dedue let out a rare chuckle. “You should really know better than that by now.”

“Yes, you’re stuck with us forever.” Byleth nodded grinning.

“I can’t think of anything else I’d rather have than that promise.” He smiled in return.


End file.
